The Executive Director of TAP Initiative, Martins Obono, has alleged fraud in the 2024 Edo State governorship election, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of collusion.

Obono, who made the allegation on Arise News Channel’s ‘The Morning Show’ on Friday, November 1, presented what he called “damning, irrefutable evidence” of INEC’s role in the alleged conspiracy.

“When we compared the CTCs from INEC with the iREV records, we discovered something startling,” he said. “It appears that INEC produced a shadow set of result sheets to replace the real ones. They bear identical serial numbers, but the iREV results are signed by party agents, while the CTCs are mysteriously unsigned.”

Obono disclosed that the TAP Initiative has recruited a world-renowned forensic handwriting expert, whose expertise was sought by the Nelson Mandela Foundation, to examine the CTCs. “The expert confirmed that multiple CTCs were filled by one person,” Obono said.

“One person sat down and falsified these results. We were stunned. Democracies are built on trust in our institutions. If INEC can betray that trust, what does it mean for our future?”

Obono argued that the alleged manipulation was institutionalized manipulation. “For years, we have suspected rogue actors in political parties, but this time, it is the very institution entrusted to protect our democracy – INEC – that is undermining it. Citizens must believe in the system, otherwise democracy fails. It is not about one choice; it’s about the soul of our democracy.”

He called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offenses Commission (ICPC) to continue a comprehensive investigation, insisting that no one in the Commission should be spared. “This cannot stand. If the actions of INEC go unpunished, it will form the playbook for all future elections,” he warned. “We have fought too hard for this democracy to allow it to be dismantled by those who are supposed to protect it.”